Rotary snowplow



Deb. 2,1952 w. GQHEAMAN ROTARY SNOWPLOW Filed May 31, 1949 hzvenfor: W1 ll/ am 6. Heoman.

km 1911 I6.

Patented Dec. 2, 1,952

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application May 31, 1949, Serial No. 96,287.

2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in snow plows, an object of my invention being to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is particularly suitable for drawing behind a tractor orv the like, and which discharges the snow to one side of the device and a substantial distance away therefrom.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is provided with means whereby the shovel-edge can be adjusted in relation to the fore and aft axis of the snow plow.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which incorporates a self-aligning drive thereby maintainin the efiiciency of power transmission under all conditions of operation.

Another object of my invention in conjunction with the foregoing object is to provide a device of the character herewithin described whereby the casing is pivoted independently of the draft arm, thereby permitting the draft arm to remain aligned with the pulling or, drawing means, thus preventing the leading edge of the casing from digging into the surface of the snow.

Still anotherobject of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which incorporates an inclining ramp, thereby providing a restricted intake portal to the fan casing which facilitates the snow collection and feed of the auger.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is relatively simple in construction, conomical in manufacture, and which provides a sturdy and efficient snow removal device.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in th art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective illustration of my device viewed from the front end or in other Words from the region of attachment to the towing means.

Figure 2 is a side elevation in section showing the interior thereof.

Figure 3 is a side schematic fragmentary view of one of the shut-off gate assemblies.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the housing pivoting means.

In the drawings like characters of reference 2 indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

The present invention is designed to be drawn behind a tractor or the like, and comprises a housing I manufactured from sheet metal or similar material. The housing l is characterized by What I define as a scuttle-shaped snowintake portion 2 in the form of a horizontal, substantially cylindrical open-mouthed vessel having a broad forwardly projecting scooping underlip 3 which includes a flattened swathe-cutting shoveledge 4 extending predominantly forward of the portion 2.

An after-part 5, of the housing I, constitutes a volute fan-casing enclosing a fan 6 disposed for rotation in a plane at right angles to the direction of travel of the plow indicated by means of the arrow 1. The fan 6 comprises a series of blades I mounted upon a hub 8 which in turn is secured to a drive-shaft 9 and which extends rearwardly through the rear wall ill of the fan casing 5 being supported within a pair of bearings in and II. Bearing I0 is mounted upon bracket I2 attached to the rear wall it of the casing 5 and bearing II, which is in alignment with bearing IE), is carried upon the outrigger bracket [3 extending also from the rear Wall IE) of the casing. This provides a cantilever support for the drive shaft 9 and the fan 6 which facilitates the manufacture of my device as will hereinafter become apparent.

The aforementioned fan blades 1 ar shown, in this embodiment, as substantially rectangular panels extending diametrically from the hub 8 and having a cut-away portion I4 which provides a means whereby snow, entering the fan casing 5 from the forward portion 3, may be picked up by the blades, when rotating, and transmitted,- by centrifugal force, to the p-erimetrical edges [5 thereof adjacent the circular perimetrical wall it of the fan casing 5. p

I have provided a pair of inclined offset discharge mouths I? each having discharge apertures l8 therein. These are situated on opposite sides of the vertical axial plane of the fan 6 and include what I define as a leading wall l9 which extends tangentially from the perimetrical Wall [6 of the fan casing 5, thus forming, together with the circular fan casing 5-, an uninterrupted outlet for the discharging snow. Reference to Figure 1 illustrates that the left-hand discharge aperture (with relation to Figure 1) communicates with the interior ofthe fan casing 5 substantially at the upper end thereof whereas the right-hand discharge aperture communicates 3 with the interior of the fan casing 5 substantially at the bottom thereof. This, together with the aforementioned tangential leading wall I9 directs the discharge of snow upwardly and outwardly from the snow-plow substantially in the direction of the arrows 20.

In order to permit selection of the discharge mouths 11, during operation, I have provided a shut-off gate assembly 2I for each aperture. These assemblies consist of a shut-ofi wall 22, a relatively short supporting plate 23 and bracing member 24. The shut-off walls 22 are concave or curved to complement the circularity of the wall I6 of the fan casing 5 so that, when closed, the interior surface of the fan casing presents a smooth contour, thereby preventing the formation of frozen snow building up which may have the effect of interfering with the operation of the fan.

The right-hand shut-off gate (with relation to Figure 1) is hinged transversely to the wall IS of the fan casing 5 as at 25 adjacent the upper edge of th discharge aperture I8 so that it is capable of being swung downwardly within the aperture I8 to close off the mouth I'I, relatively small lugs (not illustrated) preventing the shutoff gates 2| from projecting within the fan casing 5. The left-hand shut-off gate assembly (with reference to Figure 1) is also hinged transversely as at 23 in order that it may be swung within the aperture I8, but due to the positioning of the discharge aperture I8 in this instance the hinging point is at the lower edge of the supporting plate 23 which is hinged to the upper edge of the discharge aperture. In this connection I have provided a bracket 21 upstanding from the fan casing 5 so that the shut-off gate assemblies may rest upon it when open to prevent straining of the hinges.

In order to facilitate the directional discharge of the snow from the discharge mouths I1, I have designed the discharge apertures I8 so that the plane of the apertures is inclined to the perpendicular as clearly illustrated in Figure l of the accompanying drawings.

A horizontal intake auger 28 situated upon an auger-shaft 29 extends through the forward portion 3' of the housing I, being supported at the forward end by a bearing structure 30 which comprises a pillow-block bearing 3I situated upon an interval U-shaped bar 32 which spans a drawbar assembly 33. This draw-bar assembly is in the form of a substantially horizontal yoke 34 and an inner yoke 35 both extending rearwardly to be pivotally connected to either side of the housing I. A flat member 35 is bolted to a bracket 36 secured centrally to the inner. yoke 35 and is also bolted centrally to yoke 34, containing apertures 36' upon the forwardly extending end thereof by which it may be connected to the towing means (not illustrated).

The rear end 31 of the auger shaft 29 is universally connected by means of universal joints 38 to the forward end 39 of the aforementioned drive shaft 9 as clearly shown in Figure 2, bearings 3| in conjunction with hearing in and II supporting the auger shaft and driv shaft adequately.

I have provided means for adjusting the auger relationship between the draw-bar 33 and the longitudinal centre line of the plow by which means the engagement of the aforementioned swathe-cutting shovel-edge 4 may be varied with relation to the snow surface, thereby permitting the depth of the cut to be controlled. This means,

.4 collectively designated 4|, comprises a swivelling internally screw-threaded sleeve 42 situated on each side of the housing I between a pair of upstanding brackets 43 rigidly secured to the housing and pivotally connected to the aforementioned draw-bar 33 at the point of attachment thereof. A lug 44 is secured on each side of the draw-bar 33 forward of the forward portion 3 of the housing I and, in .thisembodiment, on the inner side 45 of the draw-bar. A screw-threaded jack-rod 46 having a handle 41 screw-threadedly engages each of the aforementioned sleeves 42 and extends forwardly and downwardly on each side of'the forward portion 3 of the housing I the lower ends being carried by the aforementioned lugs-44 within which they are free to rotate but are; prevented from endwise movement within lugs 44 by means of pins 48.

I have provided a restricted intake portal 49 to the fan casing 5 by means of an upwardly and rearwardly inclining ramp 50 extending from the aforementioned shovel edge 4 of the forwardportion3 towards the rotary axis of the fan 6' and the drive-shaft 9. This facilitates the'feeding of the snow by means of the auger 28 to the fan 6.

In operation the plow is secured behind the towing mean by the member 36 and the relationship between the auger shaft 29 and; the housing I is adjusted by means of the screw-threaded jack-rod 45 which pivots the latter about the point of attachment between the yokes 34 and 35 and the housing I. The. forward end of the auger shaft 29 is connected'by means of a universal joint 5I to the power take-off of the towing means (not illustrated) thereby causing rotation of the shaft and auger. Movement in the direction of arrow "I causes snow to be shovelled into the snow-intake forward portion 3 of th housing I whereupon it is engaged by the auger 28 and moved towards the restricted intake portal 49 of the fan casing 5. Fan blades 6, which are rotating in the same direction as the auger 28, pick up the snow passing into the intake portal 49, assisted by the cut-away portion I4 and transmit it to the perimeter of the fan casing 5 by centrifugal force. The snow i carried around the perimeter of the fan casing until it comes to either of the inclined offset discharge mouths IT whereupon the volute configuration of the wall I6 causes the snow to be discharged through the mouth and through the discharge aperture I8, If it is desired to use only one discharge aperture, then the shut-off gate assembly 2| of the other discharge aperture should be closed, the concave shut-01f wall 22 thereof assisting in maintaining the circularity of the fan casing as hereinbefore described.

If it is desired to alter the auger relationship between the draw-bar 33 and the longitudinal centre line of the plow, then the handles 41 of the screw-threaded jack-rods 45 may be actuated, thereby causing the housing including the fan and drive-shaft to pivot around the point of connection between the horizontal yokes 34 and 35 and the housing I thereby altering the aforementioned shovel-edge 4 with relation to the ground, and in this connection it should be noted that flexibility between the drive-shaft 9 and the auger shaft 23 is maintained due to the universal joint 33.

To compensate for lengthwise movement of the auger shaft 29 with relation to the universal joint 5! when altering the auger relationship between the draw-bar 33 and the front-to-back axis of th plow I have included a conventional sliding splined shaft connection 53 adjacent the bearing 3|.

The towing of the plow by means of a tractor or the like is by means of the aforementioned draw-bar 33 and the member 35. This member, which is connected to both the yoke 34' and the yoke 35, distributes the stress through the structure, and in at least one of the appended claims I have defined the snow-plow as being designed for trailing tandem-draft.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense,

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a rotary snow plow, in combination, a housing characterized by a scuttle-shaped snowgathering forward portion joined to an after portion constituting a fan casing and an intake opening between said portions, a rotary fan and drive shaft therefor supported from said housing for rotation in said fan casing about a substantially horizontal axis generally coincident with the longitudinal centre line of the plow, said fan casing having a discharge opening, a substantially horizontal auger and auger shaft extending through said forward portion and rotatable about an axis generally coincident with the axis of rotation of said rotary fan for feeding snow to said intake opening, adjacent ends of said auger shaft and said fan driveshaft being universally connected, draw-bar means comprising a substan- 6 tially horizontal yoke having rearwardly directed ends pivotally connected to the sides of said housing, an anger shaft bearing structure spanning said yoke and secured thereto for support, and means for pivoting said housing for adjusting the position of same relative to said draw-bar means.

2. In a rotary plow as recited in claim 1, further characterized by said housing pivoting means comprising an internally screw-threaded sleev swivelly mounted on one side of said housing, a lug on one side of said yoke forwardly of said sleeve, and a screw-threaded jack-rod passing through said sleeve and extending forwardly to said lug for operative connection thereto; whereby rotation of said jack-rod pivots the housing and adjusts the position of same relative to said draw-bar means.

WILLIAM G. HEAMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,517,190 Bryan Nov. 25, 1924 1,522,518 Heglund Jan. 13, 1925 1,532,567 Aldinger Apr. 7, 1925 1,563,920 Peters et al Dec. 1, 1925 1,673,457 Jensen June 12, 1928 1,923,444 LaClair Aug. 22, 1933 2,145,497 Roshak Jan. 31, 1939 2,154,353 Ploetz Apr. 11, 1939 2,269,326 Wandscheer Jan. 6, 1942 2,437,116 Oppegaard Mar. 2, 1948 

